A Dagger Sheathed in a Smile
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In the early years of the Warring States Period, Cin was not yet a strong country. In order to strengthen his country, Cin Siao Gong recruited talented people to assist him in governing the country. Shang Yang was one of those people who came to Cin and helped advise Cin Siao Gong on how to reform Cin. For his contributions, Cin Siao Gong awarded Shang Yang both land and title.
In 340 BC, Cin Siao Gong appointed Shang Yang as general to attack the country of Wei. The king of Wei sent prince Wei Mao to lead the defense. Shang Yang was very glad when he heard this. He wrote Wei Mao a letter immediately.
Shang Yang wrote, "The time we spent together in Wei was a precious memory to me. Although we are serving different masters now, I still treasure our friendship very much and do not want to be hostile towards you. So why don't we meet and talk about a solution that is acceptable to both of us and sign a peace accord without the use of force? Wouldn't this be a perfect outcome?" Reading this, Wei Mao was naive enough to believe it and accepted his invitation. They met and had a very pleasant talk. However, when the talk was over, Wei Mao was ambushed on his way back and captured as a prisoner. Shang Yang took this opportunity to launch an attack against Wei and won a big victory. As a result, the king of Wei had to cede the territory west of the Yellow River to Cir.
Strategy 10: A Dagger Sheathed in a Smile
Befriend and charm yourself to the enemy. After you have gained his trust, you can then plot against him in secret.
